[NFBMD] [Md-sligo] {Spam?} Fall Braille Spectator

[mr. Chikodinaka Nickarandidum Oguledo]

is braille spex on NFB newsline?

On 9/19/16, nfbmd via MD-Sligo <md-sligo at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> THE BRAILLE SPECTATOR
> FALL 2016
> A semi-annual publication of the National Federation of the Blind of
> Maryland.
>
> Judy Rasmussen, editor
>
> Published on www.nfbmd.org and on NFB Newsline by The National Federation
> of
> the Blind of Maryland
>
> Sharon Maneki, President
>
> Comments and questions should be sent to  <mailto:nfbmd at earthlink.net>
> nfbmd at earthlink.net
>
> In this issue:
>
> The Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Attend the NFBMD State Convention
>
> A Victory for Voters in Maryland and Perhaps Beyond
>
> The Annapolis Roundup: Protecting the Rights of Disabled Parents
>
> The Maryland ABLE Act
>
> A View of the National Convention from a National Scholarship winner
>
> BELL Academy 2016
>
> Maryland Student Wins Braille Competition
>
> Al Saile, Determined Leader and Economist
>
> Tom Ley Testifies Before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about
> Accessibility
>
> Spectator Specs
>
>
> The Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Attend the NFBMD State Convention
> October 28-30
> 10.          We have not held a convention in Baltimore City in decades!
> 9.            The Baltimore Marriott Inner Harbor at Camden Yards Hotel is
> spacious and has lots of amenities such as a beer and wine wall!
> 8.            The hotel is in a great, convenient location. 110 South Eutaw
> Street, Baltimore, MD.
> 7.            We will offer 2 great tours, a behind the scenes look at the
> home of the Orioles- Camden Yards Stadium AND a look back in time at The
> Westminster Burying Grounds and Catacombs - the final resting place of
> Edgar
> Allan Poe and other notables. Be watching the website www.nfbmd
> <http://www.nfbmd> .org for tour registration information.
> 6.            October 28 is the right day for "Sorry, Wrong Number," the
> premiere performance by the Braille Is Beautiful Players. Join us at 6pm
> for
> pizza and a play!
> 5.            Dance with the stars. NFB leaders such as President
> Riccobono,
> Melissa Riccobono, Marc Maurer and Patricia Maurer, and Maryland leaders
> are
> ready to dance with you. Music will be provided by the John Starr Jazz
> Quartet. If you need a brush up on how to dance, attend our Wallflower
> Destruction Workshop on Friday afternoon! If dancing is not your thing,
> listen to good music, bring your own card games, and mix and mingle with
> your federation family.
> 4.            Great exhibits and great workshops. Check out the new Braille
> Note Touch. Examine the Orbit Reader, a braille display that costs less
> than
> $500!
> 3.            Meet and greet a great national representative, Gary Wunder,
> the editor of the Braille Monitor.
> 2.            Great Door Prizes! There will be 2 special door prizes
> reserved only for people who purchased a sleeping room at the hotel. One
> prize will be a free, scrumptious breakfast with Gary Wunder at the Yard
> Restaurant. The other prize is a weekend getaway in Baltimore to include:
> Complimentary overnight stay & breakfast for two at The Royal Sonesta
> Harbor
> Court Baltimore, two (2) VIP passes to Baltimore's best-loved attractions,
> museums, sites, and tours, and (1) $50 restaurant certificate to The Food
> Market on the Avenue in Hampden.
> 1.            The chance to celebrate the Golden Anniversary of the NFBMD
> with fellow Federationists and the opportunity to make new friends and to
> rekindle or gain the federation spirit!
> A Victory for Voters in Maryland and Perhaps Beyond
> By Mark Riccobono
> Taken from the Thursday, September 15, 2016 Blog Post
> EDITOR'S NOTE: "As spectator readers know we have been battling with
> Maryland election officials for many years. While we will still have the
> segregated ballot problem in the November 8 election, as President
> Riccobono
> explains the November 8 election blind voters should have a better
> experience in November than we did during the primary election. "
> Last week the Maryland Board of Elections took a new and important step in
> ensuring that all blind Maryland voters can exercise our right to cast our
> ballots privately and independently. The board agreed, after forceful
> persuasion by the National Federation of the Blind and other advocates,
> that
> poll workers must inform all Maryland voters of the availability of an
> accessible method for reading and marking their ballots.
> Maryland is one of several states that require a voter-verifiable paper
> trail when voters cast their ballots, instead of ballots being cast and
> recorded entirely by electronic means. Like some other states with similar
> laws, Maryland uses optically scanned paper ballots, which can be marked
> either by machine or by hand. Maryland has leased electronic ballot-marking
> devices (BMD's) with audio output and other accessibility features, and
> until last spring there was a system in place to ensure that a significant
> number of state voters, with and without disabilities, would use these
> machines. However, problems with the machines, unrelated to their
> accessibility, caused the board to decide that their use should be limited
> primarily to voters with disabilities, and that the option to use them
> should generally not be offered unless a poll worker decided that a voter
> had a qualifying disability. The National Federation of the Blind and our
> allies objected to this plan, both because it was unlikely that election
> workers could correctly identify all voters who could benefit from using
> the
> BMD's, and because the result would be a segregated, identifiable  pool of
> ballots consisting of those cast by voters with disabilities. Despite these
> concerns, the board did not require that poll workers tell all voters that
> an accessible voting option was available when Maryland's primary elections
> were conducted this past spring. The only requirement was that at least two
> voters without disabilities be requested to use the BMD's, to slightly
> mitigate the segregation issue. The effect of this policy was that, unless
> a
> voter happened to know about the accessible ballot-marking devices and
> asked
> to use one, voters with disabilities were kept from using the machines in
> many instances. Voters were not informed about the machines and, in some
> instances, the machines were not even set up or turned on. In addition,
> some
> voters were interrogated by poll workers about why they wanted to use the
> machines.
> Armed with survey data about these fiascoes that we collected, I pointed
> out
> in a letter, and in testimony before a special Board of Elections meeting
> on
> September 8, that the Americans with Disabilities Act and its implementing
> regulations require actual notice of accessible services for people with
> disabilities. After nearly two hours of testimony and debate, the NFB and
> our partners persuaded the board that every voter should be told about the
> BMD's. Starting in November's general election, poll workers in Maryland
> will be required to read aloud a statement telling each voter that, if
> needed, there is an accessible alternative for those who have difficulty
> reading or marking a paper ballot. The board even went a step further,
> requiring that this statement be printed and taped to the check-in table at
> the polling place, so that poll workers theoretically won't forget to make
> the announcement to each voter.
> Whenever a separate method or device is designated for the blind and other
> voters with disabilities to use in casting our ballots, problems typically
> arise. All too many blind voters throughout the country have arrived at
> their polling places to learn that the "special" machine for us isn't
> working or hasn't been set up, or that poll workers don't know how to
> operate the device or its accessibility features. The only real solution is
> for all voters to use the same equipment, with appropriate accessibility
> features for those who need or wish to use them. Barring that, election
> authorities must ensure that poll workers understand the importance of
> accessible voting equipment being available and operational for all voters
> who need or can benefit from it. All involved must be clear on one point:
> It
> is the right of blind voters, just as it is of all other voters, to vote
> privately and independently.
> Maryland's Board of Elections, to its credit, realized that the decision of
> how to cast one's ballot must be firmly in the hands of the voter. The
> board's decision sends two important signals in Maryland, and hopefully
> beyond. First, the board recognized that election officials have the
> ultimate responsibility to ensure that all voters can exercise this
> cherished right.  It is all too often the expectation that advocacy
> organizations like the National Federation of the Blind should take primary
> responsibility for providing information to voters with disabilities, and
> initially there was some sympathy for this position among Maryland Board of
> Elections members. But while the National Federation of the Blind and
> others
> can and should remain engaged in informing voters with disabilities of our
> rights and how to exercise them, election officials cannot and must not
> abdicate their responsibility to make sure that all voters can vote
> privately and independently. Second, informing all voters of the
> availability of accessible voting methods raises expectations among these
> voters and the public, by making it clear that the blind and other voters
> with disabilities can, do, and should  participate fully and equally in the
> democratic process and, by extension, in American society. The Maryland
> Board of Elections' new policy will inform many voters who can benefit from
> the ballot-marking device of its availability, including voters who don't
> have obvious disabilities. Just as importantly, if not more, it will inform
> the public that Maryland is rightly committed to the full and equal
> participation of all voters, regardless of disability. Each voter gets a
> secret vote, with no exceptions, and each vote is of equal importance.
> It took vigilant and vigorous advocacy by the National Federation of the
> Blind and our partners, but the Maryland Board of Elections is to be
> commended for implementing an affirmative, and hopefully effective, method
> of ensuring that all Maryland voters can exercise an equal right to vote.
> Perhaps a similar solution will benefit voters in other jurisdictions
> throughout the nation.
>
> The Annapolis Roundup: Protecting the Rights of Disabled Parents
> By: Sharon Maneki
> In the spring issue of the Braille Spectator, we thoroughly discussed our
> successful efforts to pass the Maryland Equal Employment Act that will
> eliminate the practice of paying disabled workers less than the minimum
> wage
> by 2020. In this article, we will describe our efforts to strengthen the
> rights of disabled parents and other bills of interest to Federationists.
> As we know too well, due to stereotypes and misconceptions held by society,
> many people, including judges, social workers and other court officials,
> believe that disabled parents are not capable of caring for children. The
> NFBMD began the process of strengthening the rights of disabled parents in
> 2008. We successfully enacted 2 laws in 2008 and 2009 that were a step in
> the right direction. As time progressed, we realized that we needed to do
> more work to strengthen the rights of disabled parents who found themselves
> involved in custody disputes, guardianship cases, or adoptions.
> Under the leadership of Senator Jamie Raskin and Delegate Sandy Rosenburg,
> SB765 and HB976 were introduced and discussed by the General Assembly. The
> main provisions of these bills are that the burden of proof is placed on
> the
> person who makes the allegation about the parent's lack of capabilities.
> Second, the judge in these cases must write his findings and describe the
> evidence he used to make his decision. Third, if a judge plans to make a
> change in the child's living arrangement, he must provide the disabled
> parent with the reasonable accommodation of supportive parenting services
> first. Supportive parenting services will give the disabled parent the
> opportunity for training or networking with other parents to improve his or
> her abilities to care for a child. The following testimony by Mike Bullis
> and Patricia Broda demonstrate why these bills were necessary. They
> testified before the House Judiciary Committee on March 1, 2016.
> Mike Bullis:
> "In 2006, I found myself in a messy divorce. One of the key concerns became
> whether I, as a blind person, could care for my four year old daughter,
> even
> though I had been doing it since her birth. After a ten day trial that took
> two years, Judge Robert Dugan in September of 2008, finally said that I was
> a "mature and responsible adult" and that there was "nothing" to the
> concerns about my blindness. In 2014, I finished paying off the $60,000 I
> spent to defend my rights to parent.
> No person should have to defend against phantoms: "What if she gets away
> from him?" "What if she hurts herself?" On and on it went. What this bill
> and its amendments say is that the burden of proof should and would lie
> with
> the accusing party rather than leaving me to prove my capabilities. It also
> clarifies that they have to provide evidence, not simply fears and
> speculation.
> The bill also clarifies outdated disability language and provides for
> supportive parenting services in cases in which parents may need specific
> independent living skills training to manage their child, such as those we
> provide at our Center in Towson.
> The bill simply puts people with disabilities on the same footing as those
> without disabilities when it comes to CINA, adoption, parenting and
> custody.
> I urge your support of HB 976."
> Patricia Broda:
> "My name is Patricia Broda and I am here to ask you to support HB 976. What
> is happening to me is unfair and discriminatory. My story shows why this
> bill is desperately needed. My son is involved in an ugly divorce. He and
> his former wife are fighting about what shared custody of their son, my
> grandson, will mean. My son lives with me so my 8 year old grandson will be
> staying in my home and I will be assisting with his care.
> On October 28, 2015, a home study and parent child observation was
> completed
> at my home with Jeffery Hill, my son, by a LCSW social worker from the
> Family Services Division of the Department of Social Services of Baltimore
> County. This investigator had been informed by the mother's attorney that I
> was legally blind.
> During the home visit, the investigator talked only to my son. She did not
> tell us why she was there; she did not address me in any way except to say
> goodbye. I was shocked when I saw her report. It reads, "Mr. Hill's parents
> are not appropriate child care providers given their medical conditions,
> specifically auditory and visual impairment."
> I live in constant fear of future biased reports from social service
> agencies. I never know when an investigator may appear to evaluate me. I
> have been successfully caring for children since I was a teenager. My
> capabilities have never been questioned before. The next hearing in my
> son's
> case is March 12, 2016. I hope that the judge will disregard the social
> worker's report. She made assumptions and did not get any information from
> me. My family should not have to suffer because of this improper
> evaluation.
>
> HB 976 will help me and other caregivers because it will force reports to
> be
> based on facts, findings, and actual evidence.
> Please vote yes for HB 976 so that I may continue to be involved in my
> grandson's life."
> Here is one example of the many letters written in support of this
> legislation.
> "Senator Jamie Raskin
>
> Dear Senator Raskin,
> I am a blind man and a member of the National Federation of the Blind.
>                 I write to thank you for introducing SB765, the Blind
> Parent's Custody Bill.
>                 I am a parent of two daughters. Blindness is no barrier for
> a blind
> person in raising children. I started at the beginning with changing
> diapers, washing clothes and children, walking them to child care and
> school. Sometimes I did the cooking of meals when my wife had other
> activities. Later, the tasks included arithmetic drills with flash cards
> and
> explaining adding fractions. I went to dance recitals and soccer games. I
> participated in PTSA meetings and school musicals. I stayed home from work
> because the girls had measles. Now it is 'grandparent's duty'.
> I have friends where both parents are blind, others where the mother is
> blind and the father sighted. We find ways to get the jobs done. It only
> takes determination, ingenuity and lots of love.
> We need S.B.765 because not enough social workers and judges believe that
> blind people can do all the things I listed above. Thank you again for
> introducing the Blind Parent's Custody Bill.
>                 Yours truly,
>                 Tom Bickford
> After much letter writing and visiting by advocates, SB765 was enacted into
> law on the last day of the General Assembly session. I am pleased to report
> that Governor Hogan signed this bill into law on May 10, 2016. Our work to
> protect the rights of disabled parents is not complete. The section of the
> bill concerning Children in Need of Assistance cases was removed because of
> opposition from the Maryland Department of Human Resources. We are working
> with the department and hope that legislation in a future session of the
> Maryland General Assembly will correct this problem. Although SB 765 is not
> a perfect bill, it goes a long way in strengthening the rights of parents
> with disabilities.
> Other Bills of Interest
> EducationHB709/SB422 will benefit the Maryland School for the Blind because
> it instructs the Governor to appropriate one million dollars for
> residential
> services. The legislation also changes the funding formula so that the
> school can receive some state funding for its outreach services. The
> Maryland School for the Blind will have a better opportunity to recruit
> teachers and other professional personnel,, because this law stipulates
> that
> they be paid an annual salary at least equal to the salary received by
> public school teachers and professional personnel of similar training and
> experience in Baltimore County.
> Parental rights for students with disabilities were strengthened by the
> enactment of two new laws. Because of the enactment of HB551 parents must
> be
> told about mediation. The law reads "If, during an individualized education
> program team meeting, a parent disagrees with the child's individualized
> education program or the special education services provided to the child,
> the individualized education program team shall provide the parent with, in
> plain language:
>                 1. an oral and a written explanation of the parent's right
> to request
>                2. contact information, including a telephone number that a
> parent may use to receive more information about the mediation process; and
>
>                 3. information regarding pro bono representation and other
> free or low-cost legal and related services available in the area."
> The second law is SB421. Under this law local school districts must
> "translate a completed individualized education program or a completed
> individualized family service plan into the parents' native language if
> that
> language is spoken by more than 1 percent of the student population in the
> local school system."
> Employment
> Employment remains one of the greatest challenges faced by blind persons.
> Persons with disabilities will have a better chance to be hired by state
> government because of the enactment of SB818/ HB928. For positions that
> require a test, 5 points will be added to the score of a person with a
> disability.
> A second law that will help with employment, especially for persons with
> disabilities who own their own business, is HB1537. This law encourages
> state government to purchase supplies and services from persons with
> disabilities who own their own business. State agencies are supposed to buy
> first from the prisons, next from Blind Industries and Services of
> Maryland,
> and third from Maryland Works which is the sheltered workshop program or
> from a business owned by an individual with a disability.
> Many thanks to everyone who made the 2016 session of the Maryland General
> Assembly such a productive one for persons with disabilities, especially
> those who are blind. We look forward to another productive session in 2017.
>
>
> The Maryland ABLE Act
> By: Sharon Maneki
> The Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act became a federal law in
> 2014. This law allows persons with disabilities to save money in a special
> account for later use, provided that the individual became disabled prior
> to
> the age of 26. States were required to set-up their own procedures to
> implement this law.
> In 2016, the Maryland ABLE Act, HB 431/SB 355, was enacted into law.
> The Maryland ABLE Act will permit persons with disabilities or their parent
> or guardian to establish a special savings account with the Maryland 529
> Board. Persons with disabilities cannot be penalized by federal programs
> such as SSI for having money in this special savings account. State
> programs
> that have means tests, such as those run by the Division of Rehabilitation
> Services or the Developmental Disabilities Administration, also may not
> penalize persons with disabilities because they have these special
> accounts.
> Money from these accounts may be used to purchase needed technology or
> other
> items to help the individual with a disability achieve greater independence
> and a better life experience.
> The implementing regulations will be ready by October 2017. We will provide
> a link to the rules and regulations on www.nfbmd.org
> <file:///C:\Users\admin\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Ou
> tlook\6LUV0S0Q\www.nfbmd.org>  when they are issued.
>
> A View of the National Convention from a National Scholarship winner
> (Editor's Note: The following article came from the blog of the National
> Association of Blind Students. Congratulations, Nathan!)
> Here is how Kathryn Webster, president of the National Association of Blind
> Students, introduced Nathan's segment at the national convention.
> Nathan Clark is a proud resident in the state of Maryland. He attends
> Towson
> University and is a proud graduate of the Louisiana Center for the Blind.
> He
> serves as the Vice President of the Maryland Student Division; and has high
> hopes of pursuing a profession as a probation officer. Nate is a seasoned
> Federationist, yet a first time finalist. We are very proud of his great
> work within our movement.
> Here is Nathan's post.
> "As a national scholarship winner this year, it was an amazing and
> educational experience for me. Although this was my eleventh NFB National
> Convention, which made me one of the most veteran students in the
> scholarship class, I learned a lot about both our mentors and the
> Federation
> in general. Having a mentor every day allowed me to interact and
> communicate
> with great leaders within the organization from across the country that I
> would not have probably had the chance to encounter, unless I was a
> scholarship winner. I learned about how many of our leaders found the
> Federation and what role they play in the organization. It was a humbling
> experience walking around with my mentors and meeting new people from
> different states, especially during the general sessions. For example, when
> I was with Ron Brown of Indiana, I had many of the Indiana state leaders
> and
> friends come up to me during the general session and I got to talk to them
> about my experiences in college and what I want to do professionally. I
> enjoyed talking to my mentors and observing their excitement and enthusiasm
> that they had regarding the Federation and the convention as a whole.
> On Sunday, when I had Ron Brown, he was screaming, cheering and clapping
> the
> entire time during the opening ceremony of the General Session and during
> the veterans' ceremony. Finally, when I had Gary Wunder on Tuesday, when
> the
> resolutions were being discussed, I got the chance to talk about my
> philosophy and beliefs with Gary and how they compared to his opinions and
> attitudes on policy issues for the organization. I want to thank the NFB as
> a whole and the scholarship committee for giving me this wonderful and
> fortunate experience this past week at the NFB National Convention in
> ORLANDO, Florida. I am proud to be a member of the greatest blindness
> organization in the world because I know that we, in the NFB, are changing
> the public's perception of the blind so that all blind people can live the
> lives we want. I will always consider myself a Federationist, and I have,
> and will continue to consider the NFB part of my family. Let's go build the
> Federation!"
>
> BELL Academy 2016
> By: Judy Rasmussen
> For the past eight years, the bells have been ringing for blind students in
> Maryland. As some of you may know, BELL stands for Braille Enrichment for
> Literacy and Learning. We are proud that the program started in Maryland,
> and has now spread to 34 states. One parent's idea has led to life-changing
> experiences for nearly 300 blind and visually impaired students across the
> country.
> From July 18 to August 5, 23 students (seven for the first time)
> participated in well-organized educational programs in Salisbury, Glenn
> Dale, and Baltimore. Students ranged in age from 4 to 10. Each program is
> different, depending on the program's location, and the students' needs.
> Several students in all three programs were younger, and therefore just
> beginning to learn braille. Observing blind adults reading braille at a
> normal pace motivates beginners to continue practicing to increase their
> speed, and to learn all of the contractions necessary to read and write
> efficiently.
> Drawing pictures, playing braille games, reading poems, and learning to
> spell new words are only a few of the many innovative things BELL students
> did to increase their knowledge of braille. Every day, students wrote
> highlights of the day's activities in a journal. All students shared a
> "bell
> ringer" (something they were proud of" each day." Examples of bell ringers
> were: "I learned the ch sign," "I learned to write the contractions for the
> words before and after," "I kept my learning shades on during the travel
> activity," I blew up a balloon for the first time," I liked playing beach
> ball braille, "and I liked making candy necklaces."
> Some programs had specific themes. Of course, all programs' themes were to
> expose students to many fun braille-related, non-visual and travel
> activities using the white cane. Farming was Salisbury's theme. Students
> went to a farmer's market, planted plants, shucked corn, had a visit from
> goats and sheep, and participated in other farm-related activities.
> Shooting
> water at each other with squirt guns was a highlight of play time.
> Students in the Baltimore program visited the Jewish Museum of Maryland,
> where they made pretend doctor kits, and were able to listen to their
> hearts. They got to open up small drawers where they learned to identify
> some medicines by their smell. At the Library for the Blind and Physically
> Handicapped, students made mazes. Everyone had lots of fun at a swimming
> pool. Some students enthusiastically did cannon balls, while others had fun
> splashing each other.
> Since blind and visually impaired students do not often have a chance to
> work in the kitchen, cooking using non-visual techniques is an essential
> part of the BELL program. Learning to measure and mix accurately with cups
> and spoons labeled in braille allows everyone to work independently. Some
> students really enjoy getting their hands all messy, except when it comes
> to
> reading a braille recipe to follow directions.
>                Making nachos, s'mores, and caramel sticky buns in the
> microwave were all enjoyed by BELL participants. Eating the homemade ice
> cream in a bag was a real hit on a hot day.
> Participants in the Glenn Dale program visited the College Park Aviation
> Museum. Dressing up like Wilbur and Katherine Wright, an air mail pilot,
> helicopter pilot, a modern woman pilot and a rescue pilot was a big deal.
> Students participated in a scavenger hunt, where they had to locate eight
> items, including bells, plastic ducks, scented soap, and Brailled cards.
> Seeing the progress some students had made in their reading and writing was
> a joy for the volunteers.
> Two students in Baltimore participated in the BELL Ex program. This is a
> program for older students who have learned enough braille to branch out
> and
> try other things such as learning more about assistive technology. This
> year's theme was to create a newspaper called "The Blind Bell."
> Participants
> interviewed instructors and students as well as the president of the
> National Federation of the Blind, Mark Riccobono. Their job was to write
> articles about each part of the program, and put it all together, including
> formatting and embossing it.
> The last day of the program is always a highlight. Parents' seminars were
> held in Baltimore and Salisbury. The theme for the last day activities for
> the Baltimore and Glenn Dale programs was the Braille Olympics. BELL
> Academy
> students made crafts, participated in relays, and many braille activities.
> A song learned by all BELL Academy students was "Braille Is Beautiful",
> composed by Federationists to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the
> National Federation of the Blind.
> This song, as well as other songs and skits by each program, were performed
> for the parents.
> Last but not least, each student was given a back pack with school supplies
> donated by the National Harbor Chapter, as well as a goody bag containing a
> braille book, playing cards, and a bell. Hearing all of the students ring
> their bells was a fitting climax to the 2016 BELL Academy program.
> The BELL Academy would not have been possible without the dedication of our
> many volunteers, committed teachers, parents, and our most excellent
> participants. We wish to gratefully acknowledge grants from the Friends of
> the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Dollar General,
> Eastern Shore Charities, The Greater Baltimore, Central Maryland, TLC,
> National Harbor and Sligo Creek Chapters. We are all looking forward to the
> 2017 BELL Academy program.
>
> Maryland Student Wins Braille Competition
> EDITOR'S NOTE: "Meredith Day, who is eight and is a third grader at
> Mechanicsville Elementary School in Sykesville, Maryland, has attended our
> BELL Academy program since the age of three. She was one of our BELL Ex
> students this summer."
> Meredith won the Regional Braille Challenge competition in the apprentice
> category (first and second graders) held at the Maryland School for the
> Blind on January 30, 2016. She was invited to attend a nationwide
> competition held every year at the Braille Institute in Los Angeles. It is
> an honour to be invited to this event. The competition consists of students
> from ten US regions and three Canadian provinces. Not only did Meredith win
> our regional competition, she placed first in the apprentice category in
> the
> national competition.
> The competition consists of four categories: speed and accuracy,
> vocabulary,
> grammar and punctuation, and comprehension. Meredith is very happy about
> winning the national competition. Just as important, she made many friends
> from across the country. Her mother, Chris, says now she and her new
> friends
> enjoy conversing with each other on FaceTime, reading paragraphs from books
> on their braille note takers.
> Meredith's older brother, Derrick, who is also blind, attended the
> festivities. Chris reports that seeing Meredith win the competition has
> motivated him to read more braille, and who knows, maybe win the
> competition
> in his age group next year? Meredith is definitely living the life she
> wants. The below article will give you a little more insight as to the
> excitement Meredith felt before going to this competition.
> FInksburg student Competes in National Braille Challenge
> June 30, 2016 | carrollcountytimes.com | By Heather Mongilio
> A second-grader from Finksburg traveled across the country to participate
> in
> the National Braille Challenge on Sunday.
> Meredith Day, 8, a blind student, won the Maryland Regional Braille
> Challenge, advancing her to the national competition in California. She
> competed in the apprentice level against other first- and second-grade
> students from around the United States.
> The Carroll County Times caught up with Meredith before she left for the
> competition to ask her about competing.
> Q: Can you tell me a little about what you had to do for the Braille
> Challenge?
> A: We had to read, we had to spell words, we had to write words in Braille
> and spell them correctly, and we had to read and detect errors and read
> things and do comprehensive questions.
> Q: Did you practice for this? How did you train?
> A: I use Braille every day so that's how I practice.
> Q: For people who don't know what Braille is or how you read in Braille,
> how
> do you read in Braille?
> A: It's a six-dot code. It's dots that make up different letters and
> things.
> So like six dots on a dice.
> Q: Is it easy or hard?
> A: Easy. We're all Braille readers [at the Maryland School for the Blind].
> Not for the sighted people who are trying to learn it because then they
> have
> to learn both ways. So there are people in school that read with their eyes
> and teach.
> Q: Do you have a favorite book you like to read?
> A: I like to read this book called, "Socks." It's about a kitty cat by
> Beverly Cleary.
> Q: So going on to the national level of the Braille competition, what are
> you excited for the most?
> A: Well I'm excited about the reading part because I love to read.
> Q: What's your favorite part about reading?
> A: All the great stories.
> Q: Is there anything that you think will be the hardest?
> A: Maybe finding errors because sometimes you can't always find them
> because
> you might not know how to spell a word.
> Q: When you are competing with other people, are you all in one room or are
> you doing it separately?
> A: It's divided into different grade levels. I'm in the second grade level,
> which I think is apprentice because I'm in second grade.
> Q: Were you in a room full of people when you were doing all the reading?
> A: Well, only the other people who were competing and the instructor for
> that activity.
> Q: Do you have a certain amount of time you have to do each activity in?
> A: Yes, they are timed. Yes.
> Q: What's your favorite part about competing?
> A: I like to do lots of different things. And sometimes if you finish
> before
> time is up, up you get to do different things like play Braille games and
> stuff.
> Q: What types of Braille games do you play?
> A: Sometimes we play Uno and sometimes we'll read Braille cards. Lots of
> things. And sometimes I play Monopoly.
> Q: What made you decide to do the Braille Challenge?
> A: Because I like to read and most of it is about reading. When I grow up I
> would like to be a librarian.
> Q: Do you get to read a lot at school?
> A: If you finish your work early you get to read, yes. But there's also a
> time when teachers tell you that you should be reading, that you can read.
> And in the mornings after you've done everything you have to do in the
> morning, you can read.
> Q: Do you have a favorite subject at school?
> A: I like media, and I also like math. And I'm really good at math, too.
> Q: What was it like to get past the regional Braille Challenge and find out
> you won?
> A: I was pretty excited.
> Q: I know you get to travel but anything else that you are looking forward
> to when you are going to the National Braille Challenge?
> A: We're going to Disneyland before we go to the Braille Challenge. And I
> was excited when I found out.
> Q: And what's a fun fact about you?
> A: I like pink. And I like cake and puppies. And bunnies.
>
> Al Saile, Determined Leader and Economist
>
> Editor's Note: "Al Saile was a long-time member of the National Federation
> of the Blind. He was active in both the Sligo Creek and Central Maryland
> chapters of the NFBMD, and was the president of the Sligo Creek Chapter for
> at least a year. He had a delightful sense of humor, and was an excellent
> fund raiser. After his recent death, we reflected on the struggles he
> endured on his job. Al's struggles happened in the late 1970s.
> Discrimination existed then as it does today. Knowing that he was qualified
> to perform the duties of an economist, yet was always passed over for
> promotions and not given meaningful work to do, he persisted and won his
> grievance with the Department of Labor. We are reprinting an article from
> the January, 1981 Braille Monitor, which describes Al's determination to
> fight discrimination. His persistence led to his being awarded the
> promotion
> he should have received years earlier. As Federationists, we know that if
> we
> want to continue living the lives we want, we must be vigilant in pursuing
> what is right. When one person wins a victory, we all win! The Al Saile
> case
> set a precedent which has helped many federal employees ever since."
> Braille Monitor, January 1981
> ANOTHER VICTORY AGAINST DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT:
> THE AL SAILE CASE
> By JAMES GASHEL
> "Unlike discrimination based on race, sex, national origin, or religion,
> which usually takes the form of some open and outright prejudicial action,
> discrimination against the blind in employment is often more subtle and
> covert. The discrimination practiced against Al Saile (who is a long-time
> Federationist and who has been employed for many years) is a case in point,
> illustrating our long and painful struggle to achieve first-class
> citizenship.
> Al Saile is a well trained and highly qualified labor economist, currently
> assigned to the Labor Department's Employment and Training Administration.
> He has worked in various capacities at the Department of Labor for nearly
> 15
> years. During this time it would be hard to isolate any single or
> especially
> significant incident which, in and of itself, would give rise to a claim of
> discrimination, but despite this Al Saile has been victimized by one of the
> most cruel, yet indirect, forms of prejudicial treatment. The type of
> discrimination practiced against Al Saile is one of the more typical forms
> of mistreatment of qualified blind employees wherein denial of opportunity
> is a gradual process which can only be perceived upon viewing a series of
> incidents over an extended period of time.
> The discriminatory treatment in this case was a pattern of behavior adopted
> by supervisors which prevented Al Saile from demonstrating his professional
> skills, thereby placing him at a serious disadvantage in competition with
> others for promotions. The result was that, while sighted employees were
> given the assignments and tasks necessary to prove themselves and to build
> a
> record of competent performance, Al Saile was systematically denied these
> opportunities, falling victim to his employer's presumption that "he would
> not be able to do the work anyway."
> This is the age-old situation in which a blind person is protected by
> someone else (in this case supervisors on the job) from what is thought to
> be inevitable failure, should the opportunity be extended. The problem with
> this quite familiar and typical practice of protecting the blind is, of
> course, that while extending the almost maternal hand of custodial care for
> the welfare and safety of the blind person, the self-appointed protector is
> also foreclosing any possibility of success. Making the situation even
> worse, this custodial treatment is usually extended with the best of
> intentions and the desire to prevent the blind person from suffering the
> pain of failure.
> This is exactly the problem which Al Saile lived with for the majority of
> his 14 years of employment at the Department of Labor. It wasn't that
> people
> didn't like him or that they would leave the room and make rude remarks
> whenever he came around - quite the opposite. Almost everybody was, for the
> most part, congenial and good tempered. But the problem was really much
> more
> basic and subtle; behind the facade of kindness and goodwill toward Mr.
> Saile, there was the deep-seated feeling that a blind person (any blind
> person) was simply not cut out to be a labor economist. So year after year
> Al Saile suffered this undeserved sentence of inevitable doom. Sometimes he
> was given assignments which were well beneath his capacity, but more often
> he was passed over even for the most simple and menial jobs, being left to
> sit idle as though the government could well afford to hire a token blind
> person, thereby being proud that it was meeting its obligation to employ
> the
> handicapped.
> There are undoubtedly hundreds, perhaps thousands, of blind persons who are
> trapped by their employers in exactly the same situation, but the success
> of
> Al Saile's long struggle to break loose from the bonds of deeply rooted
> prejudice should give hope and encouragement that the traditional barriers
> of discrimination have at last begun to crumble. Reprinted below is an
> article from the July 28, 1980, issue of Federal Times, a newspaper printed
> for federal employees. In the section entitled "Forum," Al Saile describes
> in his own words his situation. On September 11, 1980, Mr. Robert L. Davis,
> Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management at the
> Department of Labor, announced the Department's proposed disposition of Al
> Saile's grievance. The decision represents a victory for Al Saile and for
> all of us; it came in the form of a letter which we are including in this
> article because of its significance. Victories such as this are made of
> hard
> work, tenacious determination, and the realization that we can best achieve
> our common objectives by organizing with one another. Al Saile exhibits
> each
> of these characteristics, and because of this the decision in his case will
> go down as a ringing declaration of equal rights and another victory for
> the
> National Federation of the Blind.
>
> FORUM
> Affirmative Action Doesn't Exist for the Blind
> by ALVIN SAILE
> (From the Federal Times, July 28, 1980)
> For the past 14 years, I have been employed as a labor economist or in
> other
> related jobs in the Employment and Training Administration of the
> Department
> of Labor at the same grade.
> Legally blind until late 1971, and totally blind since, I have encountered
> continuous discrimination by office chiefs and top management in the
> recognition of my abilities to perform all the tasks specified in my
> position descriptions.
> Many remarks reflect the prevailing attitude that no blind person can
> perform complex duties involved in research assignments of the office in
> which I have been employed. Nor was any effort made to reassign me to what
> management thought could be more suitable work. The little work I did do
> was
> generally considered of good quality, but never had any practical purpose.
> Unhappy with my situation, and unable to gain union support, I directed my
> efforts to seek competitive jobs as they were posted. For the first few
> years, because both my resume and my performance evaluation included
> remarks
> about my blindness, I never made the highly qualified rating from panels.
> By
> removing these references to blindness, I was able to seek, over the past
> five years, nearly 80 interviews for which I had been found highly
> qualified.
> The negative attitude about blindness surfaced in these interviews with
> such
> comments as: "How do you function? How did you find this room? It's so
> marvelous what blind people can do."
> I was in competition for jobs in which minorities and females were granted
> preferential selection by my agency and I have heard the remark, "I can
> promote your guide dog because she is black and female, but management
> knows
> nothing about affirmative action for the handicapped because there are so
> few employed and top management gets no pressure to recognize advancement
> rights for the handicapped as is applied for minorities and females."
> In late 1978, I went for an interview with a person who knew my work
> previously done in the research specialty that he directs, and who thus
> accepted my capabilities. However, he warned he might not have hiring
> authority, since the overall office director had some concerns over the
> position. It was well-known the office director in the past had a say on
> who
> was selected and he was one of the persons who believed that due to lack of
> sight, my work was not competitive.
> Upon being turned down for this position, I filed an equal employment
> opportunity complaint. Before this action, I had brought my situation to
> the
> attention of the American Civil Liberties Union, with the support of the
> National Federation of the Blind, to seek possible court remedy. The
> complaint was based on advancement denials and the inadequacies of my work
> assignments due to my blindness.
> In May 1980, one year after this case had been initiated (my report had
> been
> lost twice) a meeting was held with the equal employment opportunity
> officer
> of Labor's Employment and Training Administration for resolution. Present
> were Marc Maurer, representing the National Federation of the Blind,
> Patrick
> Norton, representing ACLU from the law firm of Covington and Burling, and
> myself. Selecting officials, we were informed, had the right to choose from
> among the applicants interviewed.
> There was no answer from the EEO official when asked how over the past
> decade minorities and females settled claims of discrimination when they
> were not chosen, yet it is well-known that within ETA such persons must be
> given preferential selection and if not chosen, the selecting official must
> document the reasons why to top management. As expected, management
> continues to ignore the Vocational Rehabilitation amendments of 1973 which
> in intent, provide for the handicapped the same consideration for
> preferential selection.
> Management conceded that I had, indeed, not been given enough work since my
> total blindness and the reason was based upon the belief that I could not
> perform the duties of my grade because of lack of sight. Yet, management
> did
> not have to atone for this prolonged mistaken view. The case was resolved
> this way: I have to prove that I can do all the tasks while management sets
> about to prove that I will fail. And this is not to be done in my present
> job. A new job will be created, setting me aside from my work background,
> and I will be placed under an unidentified supervisor.
> The carrot is that if I survive and meet up to the full expectations of all
> the tasks required at my present grade level, I then can be promoted
> without
> competition.
> As far as I am concerned, this face-saving management offer is too little,
> too late. Worse, it fails to address the entire problem of enforcing the
> law
> which specified the advancement of handicapped. I do not have to prove my
> qualifications. I know I can do the full extent of the next higher grade in
> my job series or related series and the only reason I have not advanced
> according to my skills is solely due to management concern over my lack of
> sight.
> Fourteen years is more than enough evidence of that. I totally reject
> management's argument that others have also gone such long periods without
> promotion since there are a number of persons, a few of whom I know
> personally, who do not want advancement and do not actively seek to compete
> for higher paying jobs of more advanced skill.
> If management now wants to test out my capabilities, let them do so at the
> higher grade I have so long sought. It is only at the higher grade I will
> willingly undertake the test, for I know I will not fail and both the
> government and myself become winners. Otherwise, let's take the risk, the
> long siege of battle in court and prove there is or there is not a
> provision
> in law that is meaningful.
> I intend to continue the fight until the battle is won no matter how
> scarred
> I become for there is no end to manning the barricade on this issue until
> handicapped persons receive equal treatment in matters involving their
> qualifications for advancement as do others protected under civil rights
> laws. Members of the National Federation of the Blind will stand shoulder
> to
> shoulder with me, and we will win.
>
> U.S. Department of Labor
> Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management
> Washington, D.C.
> September 11, 1980
> Certified Letter-Return Receipt Requested
> Dear Mr. Saile:
> As the Department official designated by the Secretary of Labor to make
> agency decisions in cases alleging discrimination under the Equal
> Employment
> Opportunity Program, I hereby submit my proposed decision on your
> complaint.
>
> You allege that because of your handicap (loss of sight) you were not
> selected for a position of Manpower Analyst, GS- 140-1 3, under
> announcement
> ETA 78-244, in the Office of Policy, Evaluation and Research (OPER) and
> that
> the underlying reason for your non-selection was because you were given too
> few, and too insubstantial work assignments since becoming totally blind in
> 1971.
> The evidence gathered during the investigation reveals that the merit
> staffing of the position in question appears to have been executed
> properly.
> However, the events leading up to the actual selection indicate that you
> may
> have faced some unnecessary barriers to employment. There is more than a
> casual connection between your being underutilized, periods of inadequate
> accommodation, and your non-selection for the position of Manpower Analyst,
> GS- 140-13.
> In past years, employment discrimination tended to be viewed as a series of
> isolated and distinguishable events, for the most part due to ill-will on
> the part of some identifiable individual or organization. Employment
> discrimination, as viewed today, is a far more complex phenomenon and is
> generally described in terms of 'systems' and 'effects'. The investigative
> file reveals that you were ranked as the second choice for the GS-13
> Manpower Analyst position. The question is, with adequate accommodation and
> proper utilization, would you have been selected for the position?
> I have concluded that you are a capable employee, who because of periods of
> inadequate accommodation and underutilization, could not perform
> adequately.
> Therefore, there is reasonable cause to believe that inadequate
> accommodation and underutilization were factors in your not being selected
> for the position in question.
> Based on the evidence in the file and my conclusion, I am disposed to find
> that you should be retroactively promoted to the position of Manpower
> Analyst, GS-140-13 and awarded back pay to the date you would have been
> promoted had you been selected for the position in question.
> Sincerely,
> Robert L. Davis
> Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management"
>
> Tom Ley Testifies Before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about
> Accessibility
> Editor's Note: "For many years, Tom Ley has been a leader in the diabetes
> action network, a proud division of the National Federation of the Blind.
> He also facilitates the Maryland Diabetes Action Network Committee calls on
> the first Thursday of each month at 7pm. If you wish to receive information
> and support on managing diabetes, call 641-715-3272. The access code is
> 720125.
> We are reprinting Tom's testimony before the Food and Drug administration
> to
> demonstrate our commitment to accessible equipment for people who have
> diabetes and blindness or low vision. If you would like to read the
> Technology Bill of Rights that Tom refers to, go to
> <https://nfb.org/2016-resolutions> https://nfb.org/2016-resolutions,
> Resolution 2016-16. Tom was able to make the case for accessibility not
> only
> to the FDA, but also to the many equipment manufactures and other leaders
> in
> diabetes who attended this session.
> This FDA hearing took place on July 21, 2016. The purpose of the hearing
> was
> to determine if people with diabetes should be able to use continuous
> glucose monitoring (CGM) systems to make insulin dosing decisions. Prior to
> this hearing FDA was recommending that these systems be used for monitoring
> only, so additional blood testing was still required. The FDA decided that
> people with diabetes can make insulin dosing decisions based on the data
> from their CGMs. This decision will be very beneficial to people with
> diabetes who also have low vision or blindness because they will no longer
> have to get blood on the test strip."
>
> Time: 1:00 PM
> "Hello, my name is Tom Ley, and I am here representing the National
> Federation of the Blind, and in particular, our National Task Force on
> addressing the inaccessibility of diabetes technologies for people who are
> blind or have low vision.
> The National Federation of the Blind did pay for my Uber car down from
> Baltimore today, but that's it. (audience chuckles).
> In the National Federation of the Blind (the NFB) we have much experience
> with diabetes because so many of our members have diabetes. Some, like me,
> grew up with diabetes and have gone blind. Many more today, though, are
> those who lived their whole life as blind people and have now suffered from
> the epidemic that's spreading across the world today of Type 2 diabetes,
> and
> many are using insulin. Then we have another group coming into play, those
> who are living longer and encountering age-related eye disease, and then
> are
> diagnosed with diabetes after losing vision in their senior years.
> So our ranks are swelling, not that that's what we're looking for, but the
> issue we have is, what's been addressed by others, is the great burden of
> doing finger sticks when you are blind and can't see well enough to find
> the
> drop of blood.
> The advent of the CGM(Continuous Glucose Monitor) has been extraordinary in
> my life personally. Even before I could use a CGM accessibly, I'll get to
> that in a moment, I had a CGM. Even though I couldn't read the screen, I
> used one just so I would know what was happening when it would alarm when I
> was going too high or too low. So the technology is terrific.
> But for those of us who have to work hard, sometimes testing five or six
> times to make sure we are getting an accurate blood sugar reading, and for
> those of us who have issues with sensitivity in our fingers, to get the
> strip to where the blood is, this is a huge burden lifted from us to only
> have to test twice a day to calibrate.
> Second point quickly, we want to commend Dexcom. We've put out a Technology
> Bill of Rights for People who are blind and have diabetes stating that all
> people who are blind or have low vision have a right to technologies that
> can be used by people who are blind or have low vision, and Dexcom has done
> that.
> Their G5 Mobile system is wonderful, and it's been designed in a way so
> that
> I, using my iPhone with its built-in accessibility, I today can know what
> my
> blood sugar is (I was 129 going steady before I came up here). (audience
> chuckles)
> And my Type 1 son, when he was up at camp in Connecticut, I was using the
> Dexcom Share feature and knew what his CGM reading was too.
> So, I really want to encourage the FDA to take this into consideration as
> you make your recommendations this afternoon. People with diabetes - we are
> all for using CGM for treatment decisions. We do it today. We know what
> works and doesn't work as people with diabetes. And this works. Thank you.
> "
> Spectator Specs
> Weddings:
> *         On June 11, Danielle Shives, an active member of the At-Large
> Chapter, married Jonah Manke.
> *         On July 8, Nicole Fincham, an active member of the TLC Chapter,
> married James Shehan.
> *         On August 5, Anthony Evans and Kim Mohnke were married. Both are
> long time Federationists. Currently, Anthony is a member of the At-Large
> Chapter and Kim has been an active member in the NFB of Michigan. We
> welcome
> Kim to the Maryland affiliate.
> *         On August 13, Faith Geipe and David Waybright, long time active
> members of the Greater Baltimore Chapter, were married.
> Congratulations to all the newlyweds!
> New Babies:
> *         Longtime Federation leaders Mary Jo and Jesse Hartle recently
> welcomed a new member to their family. Braden Alexander was born on August
> 9. Jesse is
> Second Vice President of the NFBMD, and Mary Jo is the immediate past
> President of the TLC Chapter.
> *         On August 11, Melissa Sheeder and Aaron Carpenter became the
> proud
> parents of Ren Elizabeth Carpenter. Melissa has been an active
> Federationist
> for many years and in true Federation fashion, she has involved Aaron and
> big brother Luke Carpenter.
> *         Nicole Fincham-Shehan and James Shehan became the proud parents
> of
> Christian Nicholas on August 20, 2016. Nicole and her daughter Arielle have
> been active participants in the Federation for years. Nicole is the
> newly-elected Vice President of the TLC Chapter. Christian Nicholas Shehan
> is fortunate to have two big sisters and a big brother, Arielle, Inanda and
> Ikheem.
> Congratulations to all the parents on their new arrivals!
> Graduations:
> *         Christopher Nusbaum, President of the Maryland Association of
> Blind Students, graduated from Francis Scott Key High School in
> Westminster,
> MD. Christopher is attending the adjustment to blindness program at the
> Louisiana Center. After completing this program, Christopher will continue
> his studies in college.
> *         Brandon Pickrel graduated from Northern Middle School. He will be
> attending Northern High School in Accident, MD.
> *         James Zimmer graduated from Wicomico Middle School. He will be
> attending Parkside High School, in Salisbury, MD.
> Best wishes for much success to all the graduates.
> Deaths:
> *         Al Saile, a longtime leader and member of the Sligo Creek
> Chapter,
> died on May 22, 2016. In his later years, Al moved to Columbia and
> continued
> his NFB activities by joining the Central Maryland Chapter. During his
> working career, Al was an avid fundraiser for the Sligo Creek chapter. He
> also fought against discrimination. Read "ANOTHER VICTORY AGAINST
> DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT: THE AL SAILE CASE" elsewhere in this issue.
> *         On July 13, Harold Hayes, a charter member of the National Harbor
> Chapter, died after a long illness. We will miss Harold's kindness and his
> willingness to help anyone in need. He was always a willing volunteer
> alongside his longtime companion, Ava Ferebee.
> *         Lavonnya Gardner, a member of the Greater Baltimore Chapter, died
> suddenly on August 26. She was a strong advocate for people with autism and
> blindness and always tried to educate the public. Lavonnya and her daughter
> Brianna were always at chapter meetings, conventions, and federation events
> together. We will miss Lavonnya's enthusiasm and spirit.
>
> Achievements:
> *         Congratulations to Geoffrey Rono who became a U.S. Citizen on
> August 12. Geoffrey, born in Kenya, is a member of the Sligo Creek Chapter.
> *         Congratulations to Orlo and Mary Nichols who celebrated their
> 49th
> wedding anniversary on September 16. May they have many more years of
> happiness together.
>
>
> Sharon Maneki, President
> National Federation of the Blind of Maryland
> 410-715-9596
>
>